Transport

Creating cleaner, safer, smarter and more resilient transport systems

The UK transport sector is under growing pressure to decarbonise, improve safety, increase resilience and deliver better outcomes for passengers and freight. But complexity, risk and market barriers can slow the adoption of new technologies and innovation at scale.

We help transport organisations and high-potential businesses overcome barriers to innovation by validating emerging technologies in real-world and highly regulated infrastructure environments, accelerating the deployment of proven solutions across the transport sector.

By connecting industry, innovators, investors and government, we help scale proven transport solutions that improve performance, productivity and long-term sustainability across the UK transport system.

813 billion

passenger kilometres travelled in Great Britain in 2024.

640,000 jobs

supported by the UK’s rail industry.

Busiest ever year

for UK aviation in 2025.

86%

of international UK freight is moved by sea.

Driving change in transport

We support the UK transport sector to test, validate and scale innovation across rail, aviation, highways, maritime and integrated transport systems.

Explore case studies on recent projects driving change in the transport industry, including:

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Our services

Connected Places Catapult is a proven delivery partner for transport operators, infrastructure owners, government and high-potential SMEs.

We help identify, test and scale solutions that improve transport performance, sustainability and operational resilience.

Our services for transport industry organisations and SMEs include:

Our focus areas

We have an imperative to transform the transport sector – creating systems that are more sustainable, reliable, safe and accessible to all. At Connected Places Catapult, we collaborate with the entire transport ecosystem to catalyse change.

Sameer Savani, Transport Managing Director,

Connected Places Catapult

Scaling SME growth

We work directly with high potential transport businesses in the UK to support growth and commercialisation through our projects and programmes, which aim to:

  • Help SMEs turn potential into performance
  • Reduce risk so individual businesses can scale
  • Support SMEs to compete in real markets
Goods delivery innovator boosts productivity for cycle couriers
Article

Goods delivery innovator boosts productivity for cycle couriers

Innovators showcasing their emerging technologies at the Connected Places Summit included start-up firm SLANT, from the Freight Innovation Fund accelerator programme.
Better Connected: why businesses should pay attention to the new integrated transport strategy 
Article

Better Connected: why businesses should pay attention to the new integrated transport strategy 

Better Connected sets out a more joined-up vision for transport and signals where new opportunities may emerge for UK businesses. In this article, Sameer Savani, Managing Director for Transport at Connected Places Catapult, shares his thoughts on what that means in practice.

Recent projects

An airport runway at sunset with several airplanes parked and one being towed by a ground vehicle.
Project

Zero Emission Airports (ZEA)

Decarbonising airport operations and developing the infrastructure to support zero-emission flight

Live open calls

The River Rhoding site showing a canal, several high rise buildings and foliage. The site is the viewing platform site.
Opportunity

Public Realm Innovation Lab – Open Call

This initiative will explore how public realm interventions can reduce pressure on the NHS by supporting social prescribing and preventative healthcare. It is shaped by the health priorities of the borough and the needs of the local community.
National Centre for Accessible Transport (ncat) Scaling Innovation Programme – 2025/26
Opportunity

National Centre for Accessible Transport (ncat) Scaling Innovation Programme – 2025/26

Launching its second round of funding, the National Centre for Accessible Transport (ncat) Scaling Innovation Programme is delivered by ncat partner Connected Places Catapult.
An artist impression of a HS2 train at a platform
Opportunity

HS2 Accelerator 8.0

High Speed 2 Limited (HS2), supported by Connected Places Catapult and in partnership with the Department for Transport, has launched its search for innovative small businesses to develop new technology business cases and funded pilot projects for the rail scheme.

Have you got an innovative pilot, project or solution?

Case studies

Reducing slips, trips and falls with AI Technology at Bristol Temple Meads
Case Study

Reducing slips, trips and falls with AI Technology at Bristol Temple Meads

Bristol Temple Meads (BTM) station sought innovative solutions to enhance passenger safety, particularly targeting slips, trips and falls associated with passengers carrying large items on the stairs within the station subway.
Driving innovation with National Highways
Case Study

Driving innovation with National Highways

National Highways has partnered with Connected Places Catapult to embrace innovation and address challenges of safety, innovation, and environmental sustainability.

Interested in collaborating with us to de-risk new technologies and solutions, and implement innovation at scale?

Latest news

Bristol Temple Meads to test latest in station innovations
News

Bristol Temple Meads to test latest in station innovations

Systems designed to reduce passenger stress and make station surfaces less slippery will be trialled this spring.
More big names join Connected Places Summit lineup
News

More big names join Connected Places Summit lineup

The DfT’s Chief Scientific Adviser, the CEO of the National Wealth Fund and the Deputy Mayor of London for Environment and Energy are among the latest speakers confirmed for the Summit.
close up view of data on mobile phone
News

AI in Transport: 23 innovators selected to develop proposals

The organisations chosen will develop use case proposals that demonstrate how AI can transform the UK’s transport system.

We work closely with the Department for Transport (DfT) to drive innovation and deliver transformative projects across the UK transport sector. Our partnership enables us to support cutting-edge research, develop new technologies, and create solutions that address the most pressing challenges in transport today.

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Transport Research and Innovation Grants

The Department for Transport (DfT), in partnership with Connected Places Catapult, offers Transport Research and…